This invention relates generally to multilayer pads and methods of manufacture such as are disclosed in our earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,119, titled xe2x80x9cMultilayer Laminated Pad;xe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,906, titled xe2x80x9cMethod for Making Multilayer Pad;xe2x80x9d and U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,524, titled xe2x80x9cDisposable Pad;xe2x80x9d the entire disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
As disclosed in our earlier patents, pads are manufactured by initially forming a three-layer composite laminated sheet (two layers in some embodiments) using adhesive or other attachment to combine base pad forming material, impervious barrier layer forming material, and handle forming material. The base pad forming material, barrier forming material and handle forming material are provided as respective webs of material from supply rolls, the webs each having a predetermined width (typically the same width for all three webs), with lengths depending on the roll size.
In the earlier pads, the exemplary adhesive attaching the web of base pad forming material and the web of barrier forming material to each other is a full coating, such that these two web layers are continuously adhered to each other along their entire widths. However, the adhesive which joins the web of barrier forming material to the web of handle forming material is applied in longitudinal strips, which may be referred to as xe2x80x9czone coating.xe2x80x9d A cutter is then used to cut through all three layers of the laminated sheets to produce individual multilayer pads. The cutter is aligned with reference to the adhesive strips securing the handle forming material to the barrier forming material, as well as with reference to uncoated areas between the adhesive strips, such that, in each of the resulting pads, a portion of the handle forming material layer is over an adhesive strip resulting in an adhered segment of the handle, and another portion (or portions) of the handle forming material layer within the shape of the cutter is over an uncoated area resulting in a free or graspable portion of the handle. The resultant graspable handle portion lies flat against the barrier layer prior to initial use, and pivots up for use.
In embodiments of the present invention, similar pads are produced, while avoiding the need for zone coating to define adhered handle segments. Rather, the handle forming material is mechanically folded, employing a pleating/folding machine, prior to being adhered to the barrier layer. As alternatives, adhesive is applied to the barrier layer, or to the underside of the handle forming material subsequently to folding, or to the underside of the handle forming material prior to folding.